The Sanatan Dharma in Crisis in Indian Politics

 The Sanatan Dharma in Crisis in Indian Politics

The term "Sanatan Crisis" (often spelled "Sanatana Crisis") has emerged in Indian political discourse to describe a series of escalating controversies, rhetorical battles, and social tensions surrounding Sanatana Dharma—the "eternal order" or traditional framework of Hinduism. It encapsulates debates over the role of Hindu identity in national politics, accusations of majoritarianism, and perceived existential threats to Hindu traditions from conversions, opposition rhetoric, and minority appeasement. While rooted in the 2023 remarks by Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin (who likened Sanatana Dharma to diseases like dengue and malaria, sparking nationwide outrage and Supreme Court petitions), the crisis has intensified in 2025 amid election cycles, communal polarization, and high-profile incidents. This has pitted the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), against opposition alliances like the INDIA bloc, with broader implications for India's secular fabric.

Historical Context: The 2023 Spark and Its Lingering Impact

The modern flashpoint began in September 2023 when Udhayanidhi Stalin's comments at a conference on eradicating "social evils" were interpreted as an attack on Hinduism itself. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Tamil Nadu government defended it as criticism of caste hierarchies within Hinduism, but the BJP branded it "hate speech" equivalent to calling for genocide, leading to FIRs and calls for Stalin's arrest. This row deepened North-South divides, with the BJP accusing Dravidian parties of anti-Hindu bias to consolidate Hindu votes in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It also amplified the term "Sanatana Dharma" in public lexicon, which gained traction post-2019 BJP re-election as a counter to "urban Naxal" narratives.

By 2025, similar rhetoric has recurred, framing the crisis as an ongoing assault on Hindu identity.

Key Developments in 2025: A Year of Escalation

2025 has seen the crisis evolve from verbal sparring to institutional confrontations and identity-based mobilization:

1. Opposition's "Anti-Sanatan" Barrage: In August 2025, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Jitendra Awhad sparked fury by claiming "Sanatan Dharma has ruined India" and labeling its ideology "perverted," tying it to the Malegaon blast acquittals. Days earlier, Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan alleged "Sanatani terror" instead of "saffron terror," reviving UPA-era smears. These statements, amplified on social media, were decried by BJP allies as a "vote jihad" to appease Muslim voters, with critics like Kirit Somaiya calling it a "competition to abuse Sanatan." Posts on X (formerly Twitter) highlighted internal Hindu divisions, with users accusing opposition of exploiting caste faultlines to dismantle Sanatana from within.
2. Perceived Existential Threats from Conversions and Separatism: Right-wing voices have portrayed aggressive Christian proselytization as the core of the crisis, invoking Pope Benedict XVI's 2000 "Dominus Jesus" declaration as a blueprint to "eradicate" Sanatana Dharma. Examples include Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma's September 2024 call for a unified Christian "nationhood" across borders (echoed in 2025 agitations) and Nagaland's NSCN demands for a separate Christian state. Incidents like the 2008 assassination of Swami Lakshmanananda in Odisha (blamed on evangelists) and surging baptisms in the "Red Corridor" states are cited as evidence of subtle infiltration into politics and bureaucracy. Ghar Wapsi (reconversion) campaigns have surged in response, with Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath warning in January 2025 that any crisis for India imperils all sects under Sanatana's umbrella. Critics argue this narrative fuels anti-minority vigilantism.
3. Sanatan Politics and Polarization: The BJP-RSS ecosystem has weaponized the crisis for electoral gains, promoting a "Sanatan model" of progress rooted in dharma to counter global challenges, as RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat urged in September 2025. Vignettes from Bihar illustrate this: Union Minister Giriraj Singh labeled Muslims "namak haram" (ungrateful) for not voting BJP despite welfare benefits; saint Shri Ram Bhadracharya called Muslim-heavy western UP "Pakistan"; and PM Narendra Modi accused opposition of backing "infiltrators" (code for Muslims). These tactics, per analysts, feudalize democracy by tying benefits to votes and fascisize it via anti-Muslim rhetoric, relying on polarization for BJP's majorities despite Hindus' 80% demographic edge. A youth "awakening" to Sanatana was evident at the February 2025 Maha Kumbh, where Yogi claimed half the world's Hindus participated.
4. Judicial Flashpoint: The October 2025 Shoe Attack: The crisis peaked on October 6, 2025, when senior advocate Rakesh Kishore hurled a shoe at Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud during Supreme Court proceedings, protesting remarks on "bulldozer justice" (perceived as anti-Hindu). Kishore, a self-proclaimed Sanatani, defended it as upholding Dwija (upper-caste) sentiments, invoking Manu Smriti traditions of "violence for words." Suspended afterward, his act was framed by Hindutva proponents as righteous defiance but by critics as casteist aggression against a Dalit-Buddhist CJI, exposing fractures within Hinduism (e.g., SC/ST vs. upper castes). This ties into broader debates, like a Guntur lawyers' conference in August 2025 redefining Sanatana through a Hindutva lens, rejecting Ambedkarite "Bhim Smriti" for a hierarchical Manu Smriti version.

Political Implications

• Electoral Weaponization: The crisis bolsters BJP's Hindu consolidation in states like Bihar and UP but risks alienating OBCs, Dalits, and tribals if seen as upper-caste dominance. Opposition gains from anti-Hindutva alliances but faces backlash for "anti-Hindu" tags, as seen in X debates over Congress's temple fund demands in Himachal.
• Secularism Under Strain: It challenges India's constitutional pluralism, with calls for stricter anti-conversion laws and Gurukula revivals clashing against demands for social justice. Economically, "Sanatan capitalism" critiques link Hindutva to inequality, arguing it distracts from hardships.
• Social Divisions: Internal rifts—e.g., Dalit critiques of Brahminical Sanatana or youth vs. traditionalists—threaten Hindu unity, while minority fears of "Sanatani terror" narratives deepen alienation.

In essence, the Sanatan Crisis reflects India's tug-of-war between cultural revivalism and inclusive democracy. As of October 2025, it remains unresolved, with potential for further judicial and electoral fallout. For a truth-seeking lens, it underscores the need for dialogue over division, echoing Nehru's warnings against equating Hinduism with nationalism.

Source: Grok